Why Can't I Get Weight on My Doe?

[ssmeester]

Hi Everyone,

Some of you may remember my posts in April regarding my Saanen doe who was having mega trouble after kidding. Thanks to all of your help and prayers, she recovered nicely and was on her way to good health.

But............

She is losing weight and is all skin and bones. Also her coat is very rough and dull.

I'm wormed her with Ivomec and Valbazen, she has PLENTY of fresh pasture, she has grain, BOSS, and hay. She is eating and pooers are normal looking.

So what am I missing? Why can't I get any weight on her? Her kids are the healthiest plumpest lil critters and all of my other goats look great. So it only involves her.

PS There are NO vets in my area that know anything about goats, so please don't suggest I call one. I wish I could.

Thank you for your help.

Sandra

[Bret4207]

I'd suspect either worm load or a disease like cancer. I think I've read here that there are places you can send fecal samples off to for an accurate diagnosis. You may have not dosed her enough or it may be a drug resistant strain.

If it's not that I'd look into other issues, like cancer unfortunately.

[harvestmoonfarm]

When was the last time she was copper bolused? How are her membranes? Have you run a fecal (your state lab should be able to do that for you if you don't have the equipment) to make sure worms are gone? I would get the fecal done to make sure she's parasite-free (that should be first). Then I would either copper bolus or get her on weekly doses of Replamin Plus. What kind of grain do you have her on and how much?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Time to test for Johnes.

[Hannah90]

My first thought was Johnes as well. I hate to be dramatic, but aside from worm loads, Johnes is the thing that comes to mind. You can send in your own blood samples through http://www.biotracking.com/

[Alice In TX/MO]

I do not think biotracking tests for Johnes.

[ssmeester]

Well, I've had goats long enough to know the worming routine, so I really doubt it's worms. She has copper sulfate mixed with Purina Goat Minerals for free choice. She's got Purina Noble Goat food, BOSS, Orchard grass hay, 3 acres of pasture. She comes in from the pasture looking like she ate a few watermelons on the way, like the other goats, but her bones and ribs are showing so badly.

I'm really thinking it's Johne's as well. Dang it! She is my favorite goat (of course, isn't that always the way?) She was always on the small side from birth and is half the size of my other 2 year old Saanen doe. She was fine until she kidded in April, then we went through a horrible ordeal. She seemed to recover, but her weight has been steadily dropping since then. Despite the same food intake, the bones are SO pronounced. Plus she just "looks" depressed and sickly. I was hoping it was something simple, but the more I read on Johnes, the more I think that's what she has. Poor girl, poor herd.

Thanks for confirming what I already feared.

[Hannah90]

Crap. I'm an idiot. They don't. Let's just say I meant to say WADDL.

I'm sorry it's turning this way... What do you plan to do?

[Hannah90]

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts_waddl/userguide.aspx

[ssmeester]

Oh I don't know right now. I'm still in shock:-( She looks like she came out of a POW camp for goats.

I know I'm going to have to euthanize her eventually, but don't know if sooner is better than later. I mean, if she's not in pain and not endangering the other goats anymore than she already has, I'd say let her live until it's closer to the end. On the other hand, if she is in pain and endangering the rest of the goats, then of course, yesterday would have been a good time to do it.

My poor DH always gets to do the dirty deed. Poor guy didn't know what he was getting into when he married me.

I had NO idea that Johnes was even an issue when I started buying my goaties. Well, live and learn I guess.

Thanks again for your help.
Sandra

[ksalvagno]

You never mentioned treating her for coccidia. Adults can get coccidia too and this has been a bad year for it. At least in my area. A fecal done at the state lab can sometimes show some weird worms. You may be surprised about the worm load.

[backwoods]

A friend had a saanen doe do the same thing recently. She kidded, first freshener in a sudden thunder storm, outside in the rain, instead of in the barn. Both babies died, one immediately, the other over night. The doe seemed fine. A couple months later, she just looked very thin, even though being fed well, mineral's, etc. She was given a 3 or a 5 way vaccine and booster right after kidding. She just continued to go downhill, even after deworming with several different good wormers, giving her antibiotics, probios, giving her an iron supplement, and nothing helped. She finally got down and couldn't get back up and looked like a bag of bones and they put her down. She was 6 years old, and my doe (9 yrs) is her mother and came from same herd and were always together. My doe appears very healthy, people are shocked when they find out her age, and have complimented us on her good condition. I'm trying to learn here, as I don't know much about Johnne's, if that's what it was. How did the daughter get it, if the mother doesn't have it, and since the other sick goat had been in the pasture with my "other" goats, do I have to worry now about them (Nubian kids) having contracted it from her? Omg, I hope not!!!
To the op, I'm sorry about your goat, it's always so terrible to have them get sick. (HUGS) to you...

[fishhead]

Without testing it's really just guessing and we never know the real cause.

Good luck with her.

I was reading some stuff on Johnes last night and one site said that fecals can be used to test for the bacteria that causes it. There might be mail order labs that can do that test.

[Blue Run Farm]

I wouldn't assume Johnes without a test. Your goat sounds almost exactly like my Cookie (read my post "I am the worst goat owner ever"). I, too, have been doing this for some time and am always on top of worming, rotate wormers, etc. But Cookie looks starved even though she eats all day with everyone else. I found her the other day, down and unable to get up. I had the vet out and she is LOADED with parasites. Now, my other goats look great. Cookie's stool was firm and normal. The vet said that for whatever reason she has zero worm resistance. So even though we are on top of things, it wasn't enough for her. She is a perfect home for worms. This will be a problem for her for as long as she lives. Now I am using the Levamisole, which makes her foam and shake, and praying she lives. The vet did full bloodwork and fecal testing and all that came back is worms. I feel terrible about the whole thing, but maybe my experience might help someone else. Please have your girl tested for both Johnes and worms, don't just rule them out because you have a good worming program. I learned the hard way, it doesn't always work.

Sending vibes for your girl!

[motdaugrnds]

It is always best to periodically test our goats, even those who always come back negative in the past, especially if you drink their milk raw.

[Hannah90]

Yes, a lot of folks test yearling for johnes and CAE. You COULD do a round of cocci treatment just to see if it will help.